“You believe your thing, I’ll believe my thing”: How Christian college students communicate with peers about religion

This phenomenological study examines how Christian college students communicate with their peers about religion. Six undergraduate college students at a private university in San Francisco were individually interviewed about their experiences at the university and how they feel about discussing their religion among friends. Of the participants, three were male, and three were female. All participants self-identified as Christian. Interviews lasted approximately 30 minutes. They were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed that students tended to avoid religious conversations, but bonded with other Christian students over the shared experiences of growing up in their faith. In addition, participants noted that sharing religious beliefs with another person was not essential when forming friendships, but open communication regarding religion in general was encouraged. Suggestions for future research are provided